Bulldozer



May 30, 1939.

FIG.

c. LE BLEU v I 2,160,702

BULLDOZER Filed April 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

QRMZZW May ,1 0. LE BLEU 3 BULLDOZER v Fil ed April 2, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR y 1939- C-LE BLEU 2,160,702

' BULLDOZER Filed April 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,7 FIG. 4.

INVENTOR @Za/LZIoM/ Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

This invention relates generally to earth moving devices, the term earth being taken in the broad sense to include snow, ice and the like, adapted to be connected to a tractor to be moved thereby across a surface to be treated, and includes an earth handling implement disposed forwardly of'the tractor. Such devices are commonly termed, scrapers, trailbuilders, bulldozers, snow plows and the like.

A tractor of conventional design used extensively to operate the class of devices to'which this invention relates includes a body and a pair of track laying units disposed one on each of the opposite sides of the body and parallel therewith .5,; and pivotally attached behind their front ends to the tractor body for independent swinging movement in a vertical plane and therefore, on uneven surfaces, do not maintain a fixed parallel relationship.

An earth moving device of the class referred to includes a pair of pusher arms disposed one at each of the opposite sides of the tractor and journaled behind their front ends each to a track laying unit for swinging movement in a vertical plane. In the bulldozer these pusher arms may be directly connected at their front ends to a transversely disposed scraping element, and in the trailbuilder these pusher arms may be connected at their front ends 'to a transversely disposed cross beam, the cross beam being adapted to support the scraping element. In either case the results are a'substantially U shaped pusher frame adapted behind its front end to be mounted on the track laying units for swinging movement in a vertical plane about a-horizontal axis, and provided at its front end with a scraper. The invention herein described is applicable to either of these conventionaltypes of construction, the pusher frame control of my invention being associated with the transverse member of a U shaped pusher frame whether-it be a scraping element or a cross beam.

Now, anobject of this invention is the provision in'devices of the class referred to, of a simple and novel control-means for swinging th pusher frame.

Still another object'is the provision in a device of the class described, of a pusher frame control for swinging the pusher frame, and disposing the 0 weight of the front end thereof substantially equally on the track laying-unitsregardless of the relative position of the tracklaying units in the vertical plane. I

Still another object is the provisionina device.

' of the class described, a-tra'ctor includinga bo y and a pair of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front ends on the body for independent vertical swinging movement, a pusher frame mounted behind its front endon the track 5 laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, and means for supporting the front end of the pusher frame on the track laying units in parallel relationship to the said horizontal axis regardless of the relative position of the 19 track laying units in the vertical plane.

Another object of this invention is the provision in a device of the class described, of means to facilitate the mounting of the rear end of the pusher frameon the tractor.

Still another object of the invention is the provision in a device of the character described of novel means for mounting the pusher frame control on the track laying units.

Another object of this invention is the provi- 20 sion in a device of the class described, of a pusher frame control therefor adapted to dispose the weight of the front end of the pusher frame equally on the track laying units without imparting tortional strains to the pusher frame or lat 25 eral strains to the track laying units, regardless of the relative positions of the track laying units in the vertical plane.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon 30 a detailed perusal of the specifications in connection with the accompanying drawings whereinI have illustrated and described an embodiment of my invention, but it is to be understood that the disclosures are susceptible to modification in the 35 combination, correlation and construction of parts, members and features without constituting a departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims annexed hereto.

In the drawings: 40

Figure l is a plan view of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of my invention.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the earth moving device disconnected from the tractor and resting 45;

on the ground and shows the trunnion on the tractor in engagement with the upwardly inclined member whereby the tractor may be advanced to raise the rear end of the pusher frame to position to be connected to the tractor. 5

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings for a more detailed description of my invention.

The numeral l0 indicates a tractor of conventional design including a body H and a pair of 55 I2 for swing movement about a horizontal axis;

An earth scraper I'I includes an arcuate back plate I8 provided at its lower edge with a scraper Rigid with arcuate back plate It are. ver-i I9. tically spaced plates 20 to receive therebetween the cross beam I6. Cross beam-II and vertic'ally" spaced plates 20 are provided with coinciding v face to be treated by the advancing movement openings to receive bolts 2| and thus the pusher frame is provided-at its-frontend with an earth scraper Each of the pusher arms-15 isprovided-nearits rear end with a Vertically disposed pivot-pin 221 having formed on itsupper-end'a bracket 23 proadapted tot-receive ahorie site sides of the tractor andipivotallyconnected:

at" their rearends to the brackets 23. and sup-i ported adjacent their front endseachion an upright bracket 25.'-' I: -3: O'ne'of the'beams26 is "provided; at its front end with an "articulately: zmounted bracket 21 carrying a pin 28 havingvjournaled thereonqa sheave 29. The-other-of said beams 26iis provided at its front end with an articulately mounted bracket 30 'carryinga pin13lihav-ing journaled thereon a sheave 32$ "3: A bracket 33 is disposed centrally ofthe cross beam I6 and-nar-ticulately mounted thereon; Bracket 33 is provided with -a .pin' 34 I having journaled thereon sheaves 35 and .36. I .q.;; -1

A cable 31 is anchored at an end to. the bracket 30 at 38 and passes thence' downwardly :to and thence upwardly about sheave 36,; thence' upwardly to and about'sheave- 29; thence *downw wardlyto and thence upwardly'about sheave 35' to sheave 32, thence rearwardly about sheave132 to a sheave 39 journaled on pin 40' carried .by brack-I et '4I. Cable 3I passes thence to'a windingdrum 42 to which it is anchoredr'e? 9 I 7 'Win'ding' drum 42 is' adaptedto operate ,inwa conventional manner about "vertical" pivot 43 and is controlled,ialsol in a conventional manner, by a clutch and brake mechanism. goperated by the hand lever 44; Rub or' stabilizing 'platesfi45are secured one on each side of'the'tractor body at its frontend, see'Figures 1', Zand 3': =These rub pla'tesumayrbe independent :of each" other as. showmin the fulllines, or maybe cross-connected at their top ends as indicated by the broken: linesJlS; see Figure 3: One is the equivalent of theotherss' Each. of the beams 26 are adaptedattheir frcntend, see members 47, to contact therub-plates-HJ: Means :are' thus mounted' on:thebodyof the tractor between the) front ends of: beams 26' to receive lateral thrust therefrom.

' Since beams ZB-are mounted at their rear-ends for lateral swinging-movement, and :have .nieans disposed between their front ends to receive lateral thrust therefrom, the front end of the pusher frame may be supported centrally of its width on the track laying units without imparting lateral strains thereto, and since the front end of the pusher frame may be supported on the track laying units centrally of its width, the front end of the pusher frame may be supported parallel to the horizontal axis, formed by trunnions I4, without imparting torsional strains thereto, regardless; of-the relative positions of the track laying units in the vertical plane, and since cable 31 is free to shift on sheaves 35 and 3B the weight of the front end of the pusher frame may be supported equally on the track laying units at all times.

Members 5| rigid with brackets 25 serve to lim- 'it lateral swinging movement of beams 26.

In operation, the device is moved across a surof theatractor and the vertical position of the scraper'rIQ relative to the surface to be treated may be controlled by suitable manipulation of the winding drum-42 to wind'up cable 31 for raising the scraper; and unwinding cable 31 to lower the scraper, .the brake. beingv adapted to hold the winding :drum in any desired position of the scraper; l I

The rear end of beams 26 are provided each with an inclined arm 48the under edge of which is arranged relative to the bearing 49 formed in therear end of each of beams 26to receive trunnions I4. The under edge of arms 48 are adapted toengage trunnions I4 when the rear end of the pusher; frame rests on the ground. Thus, to

mount the rearend of the pusher arms on trun-.

tially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and, desire to secure by Letters Patent is:v

r 1. In .a; device of the character described, a tractor includinga body and a pair of track laying units. disposed one at each of the opposite sidesthereof and journaled behind their front ends thereto for independent vertical swinging movement, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement, about a horizontal axis, a beam supported on eachof the track laying units, a sheave mountedonthe front end of each beam, sheavesmounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, a single flexible means passing about the sheaveson the pusher frame and supported on the sheav escarried by the beams to disposethe weight of the front end of the pusher frame substantially equally on the track laying unitsregardless of the relative positions of the track laying units in the vertical plane, and meansto maniplate the flexible means to swing the pusher frame for raising and lowering the front end thereof.

; 2. In a device of the character described, a tractor including a body and a pair of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front ends thereto for independent vertical swinging movement, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and provided. at its front end with a scraper, a beam supported. on each of the track laying units, a sheave mounted on the front end of each of the beams, sheaves mounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, a single flexible means passing about the sheaves on the pusher frame and supported on the sheaves carried by the beams, and means to manipulate the flexible means to swing the pusher frame for raising and lowering the front end thereof toposition the scraper vertically relative to the ground.

3. In a device of the character described, a tractor including a body and a pair of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front ends thereto for independent vertical swinging movement, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and provided at its front end with a scraper, a beam supported on each of the track laying units, stabilizing plates disposed between the beams and mounted on the body of the tractor said beams being normally disposed in contact with said stabilizing plates, a sheave mounted on the front end of each of the beams, sheaves mounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, flexible means passing about the sheaves on the pusher frame and supported on the sheaves carried by the beams, and means to operate the flexible means to swing the pusher frame for raising and lowering the front end thereof to determine the elevation of the scraper with respect to the ground.

4. In a device of the character described, a tractor including a body and a pair of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front ends thereto for independent vertical swinging movement, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and provided at its front end with a scraper, a beam supported on each of the track laying units, means disposed between the beams and mounted on the body of the tractor said beams being normally disposed in contact with said means, a sheave mounted on the front end of each of the beams, sheaves mounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, flexible means passing about the sheaves on the pusher frame and supported on the sheaves carried by the beams, and means to manipulate the flexible means to swing the pusher frame for raising and lowering the front end thereof to determine the elevation of the scraper with respect to the ground.

5. In a device of the character described, a tractor including a body and a pair of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front ends thereto for independent vertical swinging movement, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and provided at its front end with a scraper, a beam supported on each of the track laying units and articulately connected at their rear ends to the pusher frame, a sheave mounted on the front end of each of the beams, sheaves mounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, flexible means passing about the sheaves on the pusher ing units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front ends thereto for independent vertical swinging movement, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis and provided at its front end with a scraper, a beam supported on each of the track laying units for lateral shifting movement said beams being articulately mounted at their rear ends on the pusher frame, stabilizing plates disposed between the beams and mounted on the body of the tractor said beams being normally disposed in contact with said stabilizing plates, a sheave mounted on the front end of each of the beams, sheaves mounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, flexible means passing about the sheaves on the pusher frame and supported on the sheaves carried by the beams, and means to manipulate the flexible means to swing the pusher frame for raising and lowering the front end thereof to determine the elevation of the scraper with respect to the ground.

7. In 'a device of the character described, a tractor including a body and a pair of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front ends thereto for independent swinging movement in a vertical plane, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a beam supported on each of the track laying units, a sheave mounted on the front end of each of the beams, sheaves mounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, a single flexible means passing about the sheaves on the pusher frame and supported on the sheaves carried by the beams to dispose the weight of the front end of the pusher frame substantially equally on the track laying units and suspend the front end of the pusher frame in parallel relationship to the horizontal axis regardless of the relative positions of the track laying units in the vertical plane.

8. In a device of the class described, a tractor including a body and a pair of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and iournaled behind their front ends thereto for independent swinging movement in a vertical plane, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement abouta horizontal axis and. provided at its front end with a scraper, a beam supported on each of the track laying units, stabilizing plates disposed between the beams and mounted on the body of the tractor said beams being normally disposed in contact with said stabilizing plates, a sheave mounted on the front end of each of the beams, sheaves mounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, flexible means passing about the sheaves on the pusher frame and supported on the sheaves carried by the beams to suspend the scraper in parallel relationship to the horizontal axis regardless of the relative positions of the track laying units in the vertical plane, and means to manipulate the flexible means to swing the pusher frame for raising; and lowering the front end thereof to positionthe scraper vertically relative to the ground.

9. In a device of theclassdescribed, a tractor including a body and a pair of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sidesthereof and journaled behind their front ends thereto for independent swinging movement in a vertical plane, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axisand provided at its front end with a scraper, a beam supported on each of the track laying units, said beams being articulately mounted at their rear ends on the pusher frame, means disposedbetween, the

beams and mounted on the body of the tractor,

said beams being normally disposed in contact with said means, a ,sheave mounted on the front end of each of the beams, sheaves mountedon the front end of the pusher frame centrally of its laying units disposed one at each of the, opposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front endthereto for independent swinging movement in a vertical plane, a pusher frame; journaled behind its front end on the tracklaying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, an

upstanding bracket mounted on each of the track laying units, a cantilever beam supported on .each of the upstanding brackets and articulately connocted at its rear endto the pusher frame, and a single flexible meanslto suspend the front end of the pusher frame on the,front ends of the cantilever beams.

11. In .device of, the character described, a

tractor including a body and a pair. of track laying units disposed one at each of the opposite sides thereof and journaled behind theirfront ends theretc for independent swinging movement in a vertical plane, a; pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the track laying units for swinging movement about .a:horizonta1 axis, an upstanding bracketmounted on each of the track laying units, acantilever; beam supported on each of the upstanding brackets and articulately connected at its rear end ,to the pusher frame, and alsingleflexible means adapted to be power operated to adjustably suspend the front end of the pusher frame ,onthecfront ends ,of the cantilever beams.

'12. Atmaterial moving machine comprising a tractor having a body anda pair. of track laying units disposedone at eachof the opposite sides thereof and journaled behindftheirfront, ends thereon for independent vertical swinging'movement aboutfa common axis, a pusher frame car-' rying a scraper at its front end means'mounting the rear end of the pusher frame'on thetrack laying units'f'o'r' swinging imovement about a ho-r izontal axis, brackets carried by'fthe track laying units, sheave means mounted on the front-end of the pusher frame centrally of its width, a

single flexible means passing about .said sheave means and supported on said brackets to automatically shift in response to relative swinging movement thereof to suspend the front end of the pusher frame parallel to said horizontal axis and dispose the weight thereof substantially equally on the track laying units regardless of the relative positions of said track laying units,

about their common axis.

13. A material moving machine comprising a tractorhaving a bodyand a pair of track laying units disposedone at each of theopposite sides thereof and journaled behind their front ends thereon for independent vertical swinging movement about a common axis, a pusher frame carrying a scraperat its front end, means mounting the rear end of the pusher frame on the track laying units for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, brackets carried by the'track layingunits, sheave means mounted on the front end of the pusher frame centrally of itswidth, a single flexible means passing about said sheave means and supportedvon said brackets to automatically, shift-in response to relative swinging movement thereofto suspendthe frontend of the, pusher frame parallel to saidhorizontal axis and disposethe Weight thereof substantially equally on the -track laying units regardlessof the relative positions of saidtracklaying units about their common axis, and meansto manipulate said flexiblemeans for swinging the pusher, frame about saidhorizontal axis.

14. A materialmoving machine comprising a tractor havinga body and a pair of track laying unitsdisposedone at eachof the opposite sides thereof and journaled behindltheir front ends thereon for independent vertical swinging movement about a common axis, a pusher frame carrying .a scraper at its front end, means mounting the rear end of the pusher frame on the track laying units for; swinging, movement about a horizontal axis, brackets carried by the track laying units, sheave ,means mounted on the brackets, sheave means mounted on the front end of the pusher framecentrally of its width,a

single flexible means passing about said sheave means and being secured at one end to one of said brackets, and means for controlling said flexible means for swinging the pusher frame about said horizontal.

15. In a device ofthe character described,

tractorincluding a body and a pair of track-layingunits disposed oneat each of the opposite sides thereof andjournaled behind their front ends thereon-for independent vertical swinging movement about a-common axis, a pusher frame journaled behind its front end on the tractor for swinging movement in a vertical plane, a beam supported on each of. the tracklaying units, a sheave mounted on the front end of each beam, sheaves mountedon the front end of the pusher frame, centrally of its width, a single flexible,

means passing about the sheaves on the pusher frame and supported on the sheaves carriedby the beams todispose the weight of the front end of the pusher frame substantially equally on the track, laying units in any position of each of them about, their common axis, and means to manipulate theflexible means to swing the push-' er frame for raisingand lower'ing the front end thereof.

C AR ESLE BLEU. 

